I think we're getting there, Crazy. You're absolutely right about the 'fine tuning' of the exact attack time.

Piekalkiewicz ( again! ) deals with the battle day-by-day. As the attack drew closer, it seems the Soviets gathered intelligence from several sources in the field.
According to Marshal Vasilevsky :
'The reconnaissance service informed the General Staff during the night of 2 July that it was certain that the enemy would go on the offensive no later than the 6 July . I immediately reported this to Stalin and requested permission to inform the fronts without delay.'
Lt-General Batov, commanding 65th Army :
'Since 1st July we had been waiting for the offensive which could begin at any moment...The officers did not leave their observation posts for even an hour.'
Lt.-Gen. Moskalenko :
'..we learned that a German soldier of the 168th Infantry Division in the Kondiryev area ...had been captured by the Sixth Guards Army. According to him, the assault was to open northeast of Belgorod during the night of 5 July. The German soldiers had already received their cold rations...they had engineers with them to clear minefields and remove obstacles'.

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